1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a stiffener for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a stiffener for a vehicle, which is constructed so that an upper stiffener part and a lower stiffener part are integrated with each other, thus absorbing shocks at upper and lower parts in the event of a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a back beam is coupled to a carrier of a vehicle to mount a bumper, and a stiffener is mounted to a lower member of the carrier so as to prevent a portion under a pedestrian's knee from entering under a vehicle.
As shown in FIG. 4, a back beam 20 is provided on the central portion of a carrier 10 so that a bumper is mounted to the back beam 20, and is coupled to side panels 12 of the carrier 10. The back beam 20 is coupled to the side panels 12 by fastening back beam stays 22, provided on opposite side ends of the back beam 20, to the side panels 12 using bolts.
Further, a stiffener 30 is provided under the back beam 20 in such a way as to be coupled to a lower member 15 of the carrier 10. The stiffener 30 has the shape of a panel. The stiffener 30 is coupled at its part having a narrow area to the lower member 15 of the carrier 10, and protrudes forwards from the carrier 10, thus blocking the lower portion of the carrier 10.
However, the conventional stiffener is problematic in that pressure generated by a vehicle collision is concentrated on a portion under a pedestrian's knee, so that his or her injury is increased.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.